Combined hay or grain wagon and manure carrier and spreader



Feb, 17, 1925.

1,526,704 A. HIRD COMBINED :w1 olr GRAIN wAGoN AND NANURE GARNIER AND, SPREADER `Filed dec. 1,4. 1922 A TTORNEY.

Feb. 17. 1925- 1,526,704

A. HIRD- COMBINEDl HAY'ORf-GRAIN WAGON AND MANURE CARRIER AND SPREADER Filed Deo. 14. 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 2- 6865: *l* INVENTOR. M M' 5 maw M A TTORNEY.

Feb, 17. 1925.

A. HIRD COMBINED HAY 0R GRAIN WAGON AND MANURE CARRIER AND SPREADER -e sheets-sheet Filed Deo. 14. 1922 ifm fmw,

IN VEN TOR. M

A TTORNEY.

h hm D Waff? me;

Feb. 17, 1925. 1,526,704

A. HIRD COMBINED HAY 0R GRAIN WAGON AND MANURE CARRIER AND S'PEADER Filed Deo. 14. 1922 6 Shets-Sheet 4.

v ATTORNEY.

` Feb, 17. 1925.

' 1,526,704 A. HIRD COMBINED HAY QR GRAIN WAGON AND MNURE CARRIER AND SPREADER Filed Dec. 14. 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 .N N VJVW l:

y INI/EVTOR. l

I fc5/ahw, i ATTORNEY.

Feb. 17, 1925- 1,526,704

. A. HIRD COMBI\NED HAY OR GRAIN WAGON AND MANURE, CARRIE,R,AND S'PREADER Filed Deo. 14, 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 nvAI/JEIVTOR.`

By f/Z/ JM, ff @www A TTORNE Y.

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Patented Feb. 17, 1925.

ARTHUR HIRD, OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS.

COIMCBINED` HAY R GRAIN WAGON AND MANURE CARRIER .ANDSPREADER AppIicaton filed December 14, 1922. Serial No. 606,767.

To all whom it 'h1/ay concern:

Be it known that l, ARTHUR Him), a citizen of the United States, residing at Lawrence, in the county of Douglas and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Hay or Grain lfVagons and Manure Carriers and Spreaders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a combined wagon adapted to be so arranged as to properly function as a hay or grain wagon and further, to be adapted so as to function as a manure carrier, means being provided for automatically unloading, and spreading the same whilst the wagon is travelling over the ground.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of such a combination device that is comparatively simplel of construction, easy of operation and highly useful for a great number of purposes.

The nature and advantages of the invention will be better understood when the following detailed description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, the invention residing in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts as claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this application, like numerals of reference indicate similarlparts in the several views, and wherein :N

. Figure 1-is a side elevational view of the combined device constructed in accordance with the present invention. y v

Figure 2is a top plan view thereof, a portion of the manure unloading'means bcing broken away for more clearly ,disclos ing the wagon ooring.

Figure 3-is a longitudinal setional View view of the device shown in Figures 1 and 2, and taken upon .the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4--is an enlarged top plan View of the manure spreader per se.

Figure 5-is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a portion of the manure unloading belt.

Figure 6--is a plan View of the frame for a manure pulverizer device employed in connection with the present invention.

Figure 7-is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of one side of the wagon, the same being slotted for allowing of a swinging movement of the lower end together with the means for operating 'the same.

Fi re 10--is a longitudinal cross sectiona view of a portion of the manure -pulverizing belt.

Figure ll-eis a fragmentary side elevational view, showing more clearly the detachable connecting means for the hay 0r grain rack uponf the side framesjof the wagon. x

Figure l2-is a fragmentary` top' plan View of one side frame of the wagon with means thereon fordetachably receiving the hay or grain rack. I

Figure 1 3-is a fragmentaryf:y cross sectional view upon the line 13-13 ofFigure 11. y

Figure lflP-is lan enlargede fragmentary elevational view of :the front-side of (the machine, disclosingf'nior'e clearly, an automatic clutch mechanism. i

Figure 15-is a fragmentary bottom plain view 0f the front end of the machine, an

Figure 16 is a perspective view of the Sliding plate employed in combination with the automatic clutch actuating mechanism.

With particular reference to the drawings, my improved device embodies the provision of a wagon Structure consisting of longitudinal side frame members l and 2, together with a flooring 3, which flooring extends from the forward ends of the frame members 1. and 2, to a point spaced inwardly to the rearend thereof, as more clearly shown in the cross sectional View, Figure 3. My device includes theprovision of the usual rear and frontbolsters 4 and 5 respectively, together with the front and rear supporting wheels 6 and 7 supported upon the opposite ends 8 carried'by these holsters. v

vThe wagon flooring 3 hascounter-sunk therein, longitudinally extending spaced roller engaging rails 9, hereinafter more fully described. Freely slvidable in a longitudinal direction upon the wagon flooring 3 is a manure unloading belt or platform designated in its entirety, by the numeral 10. As shown more clearly in Figures 5 and 8, this belt or platform 10 is composed of transverse metallic strip members 11 having spaced inter-engaging eyes at their adjacent ends and adapted to receive transversely extending hinge or pivot rods 12. Each of these pivot rods 12 have three spaced rollers 13, freely rotatable thereon, these rollers adapted for rolling contact with the above mentioned countersunk rails 9 in the wagon flooring 3. The portions of the plates 11 above each roller 13 are curved upwardly as at 14 for allowing a free rotary movement of these rollers upon the transverse pivot rods 12. Adjacent the rear end of the Wagon flooring 3 there is suitably mounted a transversely extending belt or platform guide roller 15, and with particular reference to Figure 9, there is connected to the end of the belt or platform 10, one end of a pair or cables 16. these cables extending around the roller 15, and thence forwardly beneath the wagon flooring 3 to be connected at their opposite ends to a transversely disposed rotary shaft 17 at the front end of the wagon body. ,.-\lso connected at one end to this shaft 17 and adaptcd to be wound thereon, are other cables 18 extending rearwardly over the top surface of the belt or platform 10, and connected to this belt as at 19 at the forward ends thereof. 'lhese last mentioned cables 18 are also connected to an operating shaft 20 rearwardly otl the belt or platform roller 15, and are adapted to be Wound thereon when this shaft 20 is operated.

As before mentioned, this shaft 2O is disposed rearwardly of the belt or platform roller 15, and is journaled at its opposite end-.s within a substantially U-shaped hanger 21, the upper ends of the side legs comprising this hanger being bent over the side trames 1 and 2 of the wagon body as more clearly shown in Figure 3, to be connected thereto b bolts or rivets 22. rl`he ends of this] sha t extend outwardly of the side frame bars of the wagon and one end thereof has a freely slidable sleeve'23 thereon. This sleeve 23 has spaced sprocket gears 24 formed thereon, which gears are of different dimensions, and this sleeve 23 is further provided at its outer end with notches 25 for engaging lugs 26 upon a collar 27 keyed to the adjacent outer' end of said shaft 20, when this sleeve is slid outwardly upon the shaft.

Pivotally connected together by a vertical pivot pin or rod 28, are an upper and lower pair of link members 29 and Il() respectively, the `ends of these link members being loosely, pivotally secured to the inner end of the sleeve 23 for the side frame 2 o1 the wagon body. Connected at one end to this pivot pin 28, and between the pairs of links 29 and 30 is a coiled spring 31, the opposite end of which is secured to a bracket 32 carried by the said side frame bar 2 of the wagon body. Secured to the opposite ends of the pivot pin 28 is the yoked end 33 of a forwardly extending rod 34, which rod is pivotally secured at its front end to a hand lever 35. This lever 35 is pivotally secured atits lower end 36 to the wagon body and has a suit-able spring actuated detent 37 for engagement with spaced lugs formed on a plate 38 on the wagon body and inwardly of the lever 35, as more clearly shown in Figure 1. The rear wheel carrying axle 8, is adapted to rotate within its bolster support and the end thereof adjacent the sprocket sleeve 23, has a collar 39 slidably positioned therein, which collar is formed with a sprocket gear 40. Engaging over this sprocket gear '-10, and any one of the sprocket gears 2lupon the sleeve 28 is a sprocket chain ll1, it being understood that whenever it is desired to reduce or increase the speed oll the shaft 20, the collar 39 and its sprocket gear 4() is to be adjusted upon the axle 8 for aligning this sprocket gear with a desired one of the sprocket gears 24 of the sleeve 23, this first mentioned sprocket gear 4() being,r retained in adjusted position upon the end of the axle by a set screw or the like L'12. lt will at once be apparent, that in view ol the upper and lower pairs of links 29 and 3() and the coiled spring 81, the sprocket gear carrying sleeve 28 is normally disengaged from the clutch collar 27 upon the end of a shaft 20 for allowing a free rotary movement; of this collar without imparting a similar rotary movement to the shaft 20, when the wagon body is being moved over the ground. By merely pushing forwardly upon the pivoted lever 35 at the front end of the wagon body, the sleeve 23 will be operatively connected to the shaft 2O for rotating this shaft when the wagon is being moved.

then this shaft 20 is rotated, through the instrumentality of the rear supporting wheels 7, and when the clutch mechanism is thrown in, as shown in Figure 2, the cables 1f) will be wound thereon. The forward ends of these cables unwinding from the front shaft 17 occasioning a rot-ary movement of this shaft for winding thereon the front ends of the intermediate cable 16. which action will move the belt or platform 10 rearwardly upon the floor 3 of the wagon, in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 3, for drawing this belt or platform over the roller 15. and beneath the wagon flooring 3, it being noted that the before. mentioned front and rear holsters 4 and 5 are slotted as clearly shown in Figure 5 for permitting the passage o l the cables 1G, together with the belt or platform 10 therethrough.

A stationary supporting platform 44 may when the same is exten ed beneath the tlooring of the wagon, and as shown in Fi 1, one or both ends of the front shaft 17 tangular frame 55.

be provided beneath the wagon tlooring for supporting the belt or latform 10 thereon,

may have any desired form of hand' operatin means 45 thereon, for rotating this shaf 17 in a reverse direction, for consequently drawin the said belt or platform 10 back upon vt 1e wagon flooring 3, when the clutch mechanism between the rear shaftl 20 and rear wheel supporting axleV 8 is disengaged.

The front end of the movable beltor.

platform 10 carries a vertically extending, forwardly inclined wall 46 functioning as the rear wall of the wagon body and adapted to move rearwardly with the belt or platform 10 for adequately carrying the manure rearwardly within the wagon, and the wagon body is also provided at the forward end thereof with an operators seat 47.I

The longitudinal side members 1 and 2 of the wagon frame are each provided with spaced stake receiving members 48, which are inthe form of plates having upper and lower stake receiving eyes 49 formed there on. Adapted to be received within these eyes4 49 of the plates 48 are the lower ends of stakes 50, carried by longitudinally disposed side boards 51, adapted for engagement upon the upper edge of the side members 1 and 2 of the wagon frame. Journaled within bearings 52 upon the upper edge of the side boards 51, and slightly inwardly of the rear end thereof, are the op-f posite ends fof a,roller carrying shaft 53.(`

4This shaft 53 carries a roller 54, and is also journaled within suitablelopeningsv at the front end of a substantially rectangular open frame 55. This frame 55 extends downwardly at an angle within the wagon body, and has at its lower end, a roller 56 upon ash'aft 57, the ends of which are journaled'in bearings 58, slidably disposed in slots 59 at the opposite sides of the rec- Thebearings 58 for the roller shaft 57 are adjustably positioned within the frame, by screw bolts 60 connected lat one end to these bearings,'and, screw threadedly engaging within suitable yscrew threadedbores of the frame, the opposite ends of the roller `shaft 57 engage through arcuate slots 61, in .the side members 1 and 2 of the Wagon frame, and engaging o ver the rollers 54 and 56 is an endless 'pulveri'zingy belt 62 having prongs or the like 63 thereon. As more clearly shown in Figure 10, this pulverizing belt 62 is composed of transverse metallic-strips 64 hingedly connected by pins 65 to each .hinge connections ofthe pulverizer belt` when these rollers are rotated.

yEach projecting end of the top roller shaft 53 has a sprocket gear 67 keyed thereto and engaging over each of these sprockets, is a sprocket chain 68, which extends down wardly, and engages, over alined sprocket gears -upon the shaft 20, outwardly of the side walls orY framefmembers 1 and 2 of the wagon body, whereby, when the shaft 20 is'rotated a similar rotary movement will be imparted to the shaft 53 for moving the pulverzer belt 62 in the direction of the arrow, Figure 3, foruniforn'ily pul'verizing or cut-ting up the manure as it passes rearwardly 'within the wagon body, upon the movable belt or vplatform 10. v

The bottom cross bar of the rectangular frame 55 is provided with a pair of openings 68, and engaging withinV each of these openings is one end of a vertically extending arcuate rod 69. The upper endsof each of these rods pass through suitable openings in a transverse eros: bar between the side members 1 and 2 of the wagon frame or body and are screw threaded for receiving thereon, a thumb nut 71. Be-

tween this transverse bar 7 0 and a collar 72 Supported upon the bottom cross member of thebefore described U-shaped hanger 21 for the shaft 20, is a pan or trough 73 having a rear vertical wall 74 adapted for attachment in any manner desirable to the underframe of a wagon body. Journaled at one end within a suitable opening centrally of the bottom cross member of the said shafthanger 21, is a shaft 74. The upper end of this shaft extends through an opening in a transverse bar 75, formed upon the U-shaped shaft hanger 7l. A suitable form of roller bearing 76 is provided for the shaft 74. The upper end of the shaft carries a bev'elled gear 77 meshing with a rel-' the same over the ground. As a means for limiting this spreading action to the front of the pan or trough 73 only, the rear wall 74 thereof, is provided with suitably shaped forwardly extending aprons 81.

In view of the above description, it will at once be apparent that my device is adaptcd for unloading and spreading the manure in a simple and expeditious manner, and whenever it is desirable to employ the wagon body as a hay or grain rack, the longitudinal lframes boards 51 are removed, together with the pulverizing frame 55 and its associate parts. The movable belt or platform 1"0 is extended. upwardly to a position as shown in Figure 3, and as shown in Figure 13, arms or bars 82 are positioned acrossl the top of the side frame members 1 and 2 of lthe wagon body. These cross bars are provided with U-shaped cleats 83 at their ends, for engaging over the side members of the wagon frame, and at both sides of the above` described stakel receiving plates. The detachably outwardly converging side walls 84 of the hay or grain rack have spaced bars 85 upon the outer surfaces thereof, t-hese bars adapted to aline with the said stake receiving plates 48 on the side frame of the wagon body. Upon the. lower end of each of these bars 85 are plates 86. th'e lower ends of which extend away from the bars, and are hooked as at 87 for engaging within the top eye member 49 of the stake receiving plates 48. Further. each of the bars 85 are provided with side plates 88 at the lower end thereof, which 4plates are formed with an inwardly extending end portion 89, and secured to the side walls 84, and above each of the bars 85 are still further plates 90 having a hinged arm 91 at the lower end thereof, these hinged arms being suitably perforated for receiving projecting pins 92 upon the horizontal portion 89 of the side plates 88 on the bars 85, when these arms are positioned as shown in Figure 13, detachable pin connections 93 4are provided between the horizontal portions 89 of the side plates 88, and transversely extending bars 82 for rigidly maintaining the side walls 85 in position upon the frame members 1 and 2 of the wagon body.

In Figures 14, 15'and 16, I have shown an automatic clutch throw out mechanism specifically adapted for the disengagement of the clutch sleeve 23 of the collar 27 on the shaft 20, when the unloading belt or platform 1.0 has reached the limit of movef ment within the wagon body. This means includes the provision of a forwardly lextending plate 94, secured at one end to one side of the before mentioned belt supporting board or platform 44 beneath the bottom of the machine, and'at its forward endl through the wagon iooring. This plate 94 is longitudinally slotted as atr95 and engaging through this slot are integral bolt member 90 pendently formed u on an angular plate 97, this plate being maintained in position upon the first mentioned plate 94,- by nuts 98 engaging over the bolts 9.6, these bolts being screwV threaded for this purpose. p and 16, the front end of the plate 97 has a vertically extending portion 99, alsocarrying a forwardly extending arm 100. The front end of this arm iseyed as at 101, for receiving one end of a cable 102, this cable passing rearwardly of the wagon body and engaging over a roller 103, the cable thence passing upwardly-and forwardly and being connected to one arm of a bell crank lever 104. As shown, this bell crank is pivoted to a suitable point upon the clutch operating lever 35, and the opposite arm of this bell crank has pivotal connection with the de` tent 37.

fVhen the unloading belt 10 is moving rearwardly within the wagon in its unloading operation, the front portion of this belt will be movingI forwardly upon the supporting platform 44, and as the front end of this belt engages the vertical portion 99 of the plate 9i', this plate 97 will be slid forwardly upon'I its support 94 for consequently pulling upon the cable 102 for actuating the bell crank 104 for thereby disenigaging the detent 37 from the forward lug upon the plate 38, and in view of the spring tension upon the clutch links 29 and 30, theI clutch leaf 23 will consequently become disengaged.

In View of the above description, it will be seen that I have devised a combination device that may be readily used as a manure, unloader and spreader on a hay or grain rack, and while I have herein Shown and described the preferred embodiments of the present` invention. it `is 'nevertheless to 'be understood that minor changes may be made therein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is 'In a machine of the character described, a support,` a fiexible platform mounted for movement along the support, said platform including a plurality of transverse extending strips having spaced intox-engaging eyes at their adjacent edges, a plurality of transversely extending hinge rods disposed through the eyes,frollers supported to rotate onsaid rods between the eyes, said strips being provided with upwardly curved portions` to accommodate said rollers in lorder that lthey may rotate freely.

As clearly .shown in Figures 14. 

